STIFFORD Clays Primary School’s ‘hare-raising’ Year 5 pupils have been crowned artistic champions of Thurrock.
The children won best design in Essex Wildlife Trust’s ‘Hare’s Breath’ project, in which approximately 1,300 Year 5 pupils from 24 Thurrock primary schools competed to create the best design on giant hare-shaped wooden boards. Altogether, 47 2.4m by 1.2 m hares were decorated, with the designs judged by a local panel. Each hare was accompanied by a written rationale, explaining the design ideas.
Stifford Clays received a unique trophy from the Mayor of Thurrock, Cllr Sue Gray, at the awards ceremony at Thurrock Thameside Nature Park this month. The winning pupils will return to the nature park before the end of term, to enjoy a ‘habitat encounter’ day. Approximately 160 primary school Headteachers, Year 5 Teachers and selected Year 5 pupils from across Thurrock attended the ceremony.
Competition was extremely tough, with the fantastic designs giving the judges a very difficult task. Stifford Clays’ beautiful, wildlife-filled design came top as best design, with second and third going to Woodside Academy and Harris Primary Academy respectively. The judges awarded ‘Highly Commended’ to a number of schools. Awards were presented in the literacy category, too, with first, second and third going to Dilkes Academy, Orsett C of E Primary and Deneholm Primary respectively.
All 47 hares will be on an art trail, open from 23 July, around the nature park.
Terry Morris, Essex Wildlife Trust’s team leader at TTNP and part of the judging panel, said: “Stifford Clays were worthy winners from a very strong field. We now look forward to launching our Hare Art Trail next month. I would like to thank in particular Coryton Energy Company, which has so generously supported the project.”
“I was incredibly impressed with the Hare Project,” Carmel Littleton, Director of Children Services, Thurrock, and also on the panel, said. “It captured the spirit of Thurrock’s aim to be a great place of learning and opportunity, where ambition, aspiration and achievement for our children are our top priorities.”
"The children’s designs were wonderful, the literature outstanding,” said the Mayor of Thurrock. “I am very proud that I was able to see for myself in the early days of my Mayoral Year what a wonderful place the Nature Park is; it was such a pleasure to be involved on the day."
